NBA Play-In Preview — Sixers Face Familiar Foe
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 15: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers is defended by Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the second half at FTX Arena on January 15, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
For the first time in history, the Philadelphia 76ers will participate in the NBA’s Play-In Tournament. The play-in, as many basketball fans call it, was introduced in 2021 as a way to bring playoff basketball to more cities.
The Sixers are currently the Eastern Conference’s 7th seed and will remain so if they win tonight’s game and then they will play the New York Knicks in the first round. If they end up losing, do not worry because their season is not over. They will be playing the winner of the Hawks vs Bulls game, and the winner of that will be the 8 seed.
Let’s hope the latter scenario does not come into play.
The Sixers will play a familiar playoff opponent in this game as they take on the Miami Heat. This will be the 3rd time the Sixers have faced the Heat in the playoffs since 2018, with each team taking one series.
The Heat have had a ton of playoff success in recent years, including reaching the NBA Finals last season. While it is not the same team as last year, one player remains the same; Jimmy Butler.
Sixers fans know Jimmy Butler all too well as he was a member of the team in the 2018-19 season. Butler has created quite the playoff legacy over the last few years as he has carried the Heat on his back to multiple final appearances in the last few seasons. In their 2022 playoff matchup, Butler averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. He then famously said “Tobias Harris over me!” as he ran off the court after sending the Sixers packing that season. Butler can turn it on at the flip of a switch, and in a one-game “series” he is an extremely scary matchup.
If you want to beat Butler you have to force him to shoot 3s, not mid-range shots. While Butler is shooting 41.4% from three this season, it is on just 2.4 attempts per game. Butler does not want to shoot the three as he is a career 32.9% three-point shooter. He makes his living in the mid-range.
If the Sixers can keep the other Heat players away from the three-point line, and force Butler out to it, they will have a lot of success.
The key to the Sixers’ success tonight is going to be none other than Joel Embiid. It may seem obvious that the Sixers’ best player will be their key to winning this game, but Embiid needs to have an all-time playoff run for this team to go anywhere in the playoffs.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is going to know all kinds of defenses at Embiid to try and slow him down, but he needs to remain in control.
The biggest thing Embiid added to his game this season was the passing, and we will need to see that improvement tonight. Embiid has averaged 23.9 points per game against the Heat in his career, which for most players is a great number, but for Embiid it’s low.
Spoelstra is a great coach, and it’s going to take a great game from Embiid in all aspects for the Sixers to move on.
If the Sixers can win this game they have as good of a chance to reach the Eastern Conference Finals as they may have ever had. But it all starts tonight. Another Sixers playoff run is upon us, and maybe, just maybe this one will be different.
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